Vacuum sealer with drip pan

ABSTRACT

A vacuum sealer is provided with a base housing including a front platform, a heating element, a recess behind the heating element, a vacuum inlet, an enclosed, resilient sealing strip spaced around the recess, a rear cover, and a panel on the cover; a rear vacuum source including a vacuum pump wherein the vacuum source is electrically connected to both the heating element and the panel; a transparent front clamping door including a top handle, a corresponding heating element, and a corresponding sealing strip electrically connected to the vacuum source; a drip pan including a bossed bottom hole, a peripheral flange, and two spaced bottom risers wherein the drip pan is removeably complimentarily disposed in the recess with the flange rested upon a top edge of the recess and the bottom hole put on the vacuum inlet; and a tubing interconnecting the vacuum inlet and the vacuum pump.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to packaging devices, and more particularly to a vacuum sealer having a drip pan so that extraneous liquid and food particles evacuated from a plastic bag can be collected by the drip pan during a sealing.

2. Description of Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,259, as a prior work of the inventor, disclosed a vacuum sealer comprising a base member formed with a hollow platform having a first sealing ring secured on the platform and a support; a drawing hole defined in top of the platform within the first sealing ring, a heating plate laterally secured on a front edge of the platform, a pumping device mounted on the support for drawing out the air in a plastic bag to be sealed; a transparent presser having a rear end pivotally mounted on the platform and selectively pressed on the top of the platform; and a second sealing ring secured to bottom of the presser and airtightly abutting the first sealing ring when the presser is pressed on the platform.

While the '259 Patent enjoys a great market success, it suffers from a drawback. In detail, in often times liquid (e.g., soup, soy bean, or the like) accompanying the food contained in the plastic bag may spill to pollute the components during a sealing.

Thus, the invention has arisen to obviate the drawback of the prior art vacuum sealer since continuing improvements are always desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a vacuum sealer comprising a base housing comprising a front, hollow platform, an elongated heating element adjacent to a top front end of the platform, a recess disposed behind the heating element, a bossed vacuum inlet on a bottom of the recess, an enclosed, resilient sealing strip spaced around the recess, a cover releasaby mounted on a rear portion of the base housing, and a panel mounted on the cover; a vacuum source disposed in the rear portion of the base housing and covered by the cover, the vacuum source comprising a vacuum pump wherein the vacuum source is electrically connected to both the heating element and panel; a transparent clamping door pivotally mounted on a front portion of the base housing and comprising a top handle, a corresponding heating element adjacent to a front bottom edge, and a corresponding sealing strip disposed behind the corresponding heating element and electrically connected to the vacuum source; a drip pan comprising a bossed bottom hole, a peripheral flange, and two spaced bottom risers wherein the drip pan is removably complimentarily disposed in the recess with the flange rested upon a top edge of the recess and the bottom hole put on the vacuum inlet; and a hollow tubing interconnecting the vacuum inlet and the vacuum pump; wherein in response to clamping an opening of a plastic bag containing food between the clamping door and the platform with the corresponding heating element engaged with the heating element and the corresponding sealing strip engaged with the sealing strip respectively, an airtight chamber is formed and defined by the drip pan, the sealing strip, and the corresponding sealing strip so that an activation of the vacuum pump draws air out of the plastic bag via the vacuum inlet, the tubing, and the vacuum pump until a predetermined degree of vacuum exists in the plastic bag, energizes both the heating element and the corresponding heating element for a predetermined period of time sufficient for sealing the opening of the plastic bag, and collects extraneous liquid and food particles evacuated from the plastic bag in the drip pan.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a vacuum sealer in accordance with the invention with the drip pan to be mounted in;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled vacuum sealer with the clamping door pivotably lifted;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 2 showing a plastic bag containing food to be sealed by the vacuum sealer;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the clamping door having been pivoted down to tightly close the opening of the plastic bag during a sealing; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the intermediate, lower portion of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, a vacuum sealer in accordance with the invention comprises the following components as detailed below.

A base housing 10 comprises a front, hollow platform 11, an elongated heating element 12 adjacent to a top front end of the platform 11, an oval recess 13 behind the heating element 12, a bossed vacuum inlet 14 on a bottom of the recess 13, an oval sealing strip 15 formed of rubber and spaced around the recess 13, a cover 16 threaded mounted on a rear portion of the base housing 10, and a panel 17 mounted on the cover 16.

A vacuum source 20 is disposed in the rear portion of the base housing 10 and comprises a vacuum pump 21, a controller, a timing circuit, a pressure sensor, and an electromagnetic valve in which the heating element 12 is electrically connected to the timing circuit which is in turn electrically connected to the controller.

The panel 17 is electrically connected to the controller so as to receive information regarding components of the vacuum source 20 and show same in operation. Also, the panel 17 comprises a plurality of buttons for operating the vacuum sealer.

A transparent clamping door 30 pivotally mounted on the front portion of the base housing 10 by being hingedly secured to a rear end of the platform 11 and comprises a handle 31 on top, a corresponding heating element 32 adjacent to a front bottom edge, and an oval corresponding sealing strip 33 formed of rubber and disposed behind the corresponding heating element 32. The corresponding heating element 32 is also electrically connected to the timing circuit.

A drip pan 40 is shaped as an oval. The drip pan 40 comprises a bossed hole 41 on a bottom 43, a peripheral flange 42, and two spaced risers 44 on the bottom 43. The drip pan 40 can be removably complimentarily disposed in the recess 13 with the flange 42 rested upon the top edge of the recess 13 and the hole 41 put on the vacuum inlet 14.

A hollow tubing 50 is interconnected the vacuum inlet 14 and the vacuum pump 21 via a electromagnetic valve for fluid communication.

An operation of the invention will be discussed in detail below. An individual may open the clamping door 30 by lifting the handle 31, place an open portion of the plastic bag 60 on the platform 11, and align an opening 61 of a plastic bag 60 with the front end of the flange 42 in which the plastic bag 60 is stored with food containing liquids and both the heating element 12 and the sealing strip 15 are engaged with the plastic bag 60 (see FIG. 3). Next, the individual may pivot down the clamping door 30 to tightly engage the corresponding heating element 32 with the heating element 12 and tightly engage the corresponding sealing strip 33 with the sealing strip 15 respectively (see FIG. 4). Thus, an airtight space is formed and defined by the drip pan 40, the sealing strip 15, and the corresponding sealing strip 33. The individual can check whether the opening 61 of the plastic bag 60 is correctly positioned or not by seeing through the transparent clamping door 30. Next, the individual may press a button on the panel 17 to activate the vacuum pump 21 which in turn draws air out of the plastic bag 60 via the vacuum inlet 14, a portion of the tubing 50, the electromagnetic valve, remaining portion of the tubing 50, and the vacuum pump 21. The controller will be enabled when the pressure sensor detects a significant decrease in the amount of air leaving the vacuum pump 21 (i.e., the plastic bag 60 approaching vacuum). The enabled controller activates both the heating element 12 and the corresponding heating element 32 (i.e., closing an electrical circuit) and the timing circuit. Thus, both the heating element 12 and the corresponding heating element 32 are energized while the timing circuit is counting down until a predetermined period of time sufficient for sealing the opening of the plastic bag 60 is passed. It is envisaged by the invention that extraneous liquid and food particles evacuated from the plastic bag 60 are not easily drawn into the tubing 50, but rather fall to the bottom of the drip pan 40 for collection. The individual may open the clamping door 30 by lifting the handle 31 and next remove the drip pan 40 by holding and lifting the risers 44 after the sealing.

Advantageously, not only the food in the plastic bag 60 can be preserved in a near vacuum condition but also no pollution is caused to the clamping door 30, the platform 11, the tubing 50, and components of the vacuum source 20.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum sealer comprising: a base housing comprising a front, hollow platform, an elongated heating element adjacent to a top front end of the platform, a recess disposed behind the heating element, a bossed vacuum inlet on a bottom of the recess, an enclosed, resilient sealing strip spaced around the recess, a cover releasaby mounted on a rear portion of the base housing, and a panel mounted on the cover; a vacuum source disposed in the rear portion of the base housing and covered by the cover, the vacuum source comprising a vacuum pump wherein the vacuum source is electrically connected to both the heating element and the panel; a transparent clamping door pivotally mounted on a front portion of the base housing and comprising a top handle, a corresponding heating element adjacent to a front bottom edge, and a corresponding sealing strip disposed behind the corresponding heating element and electrically connected to the vacuum source; a drip pan comprising a bossed bottom hole, a peripheral flange, and two spaced bottom risers wherein the drip pan is removably complimentarily disposed in the recess with the flange rested upon a top edge of the recess and the bottom hole put on the vacuum inlet; and a hollow tubing interconnecting the vacuum inlet and the vacuum pump; wherein in response to clamping an opening of a plastic bag containing food between the clamping door and the platform with the corresponding heating element engaged with the heating element and the corresponding sealing strip engaged with the sealing strip respectively, an airtight chamber is formed and defined by the drip pan, the sealing strip, and the corresponding sealing strip so that an activation of the vacuum pump draws air out of the plastic bag via the vacuum inlet, the tubing, and the vacuum pump until a predetermined degree of vacuum exists in the plastic bag, energizes both the heating element and the corresponding heating element for a predetermined period of time sufficient for sealing the opening of the plastic bag, and collects extraneous liquid and food particles evacuated from the plastic bag in the drip pan.
 2. The vacuum sealer of claim 1, wherein both the recess and the drip pan are oval.
 3. The vacuum sealer of claim 1, wherein both the sealing strip and the corresponding sealing strip are formed of rubber. 